Kathrine Benson (East Lansing)

Mrs. Kathrine Embry-Benson made her transition from this earthly realm to be with our Lord and Savior on Monday, February 15, 2021. Age 62 years. As she made her transition to glory her grandson, Antione II, heard her softly mumble a few words. We believe that she was silently reciting from 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my race, I have kept the faith.” Katherine is affectionately known to many as Katie or Kat succumbed to a brief battle with an illness and passed peacefully at her home. Katie was born Sunday, May 11, 1958, in Lansing Michigan to her proud parents, Deacon James Robert and Rosie Lee Embry.

Katie accepted the Lord at the early age of 7 years old. She attended Galilee Baptist Church from infancy through her young adult years. Katie loves to read and was an avid believer in higher education. She graduated from J. W. Sexton, received her degree from Davenport College of Business, and went on to enter the nursing program at Lansing Community College. Katie worked several jobs over the years, but the job that she loved most was that of being a mother. She also excelled in her role as a daughter, sister, friend, grandmother, confidante, and part-time comedian. Not only did Katie love to make people laugh but she was an extremely gifted singer. She had a voice that would stop you in your tracks, she loved to minister in song. Katie began singing at the age of 5 years old and never stopped. Her father would gather all his children in a circle, and they would sing until “Heaven got happy”. Those children later became The Embry Gospel Singers. This gift of praise through song was passed onto the next generation of children. Even though Katie lent her voice to many choirs, her passion was singing and praising God with her siblings. Katie’s most beloved songs to sing were “God Gave Me Something Worth Living For”, “Give Me a Star”, “Sweet Home”, and “Walk Around Heaven”. Katie would sing, shout, and join in as often as she could. She also loved cooking, dancing, talking, making new friends, watching basketball, baked spaghetti, and coconut cake.

Kathrine leaves to cherish her memory 3 sons, Antione Benson, Maurice (Latoya) Benson, and Jermaine (Brittanie) Benson; daughter, Rosie L. Benson; 22 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; 6 brothers, James Embry Jr., David (Peggy) Embry, Dennis Embry, Stanley (Shaunda) Embry, Douglas Embry, and Ronald L. Embry; 4 sisters, Willa Mae (O’Neal) Carter, Rosemary Embry-Robinson, Linda Joiner, and Emily (Samuel) Childress; 2 godchildren, Chondric Brown and Rochelle Walls; and many more nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends including her lifelong friends and confidants, Lucy Helton and Lavern Mugashe. Additionally, Kathrine loved not only the family she was born into but her very closely-knit “Honorable Mention Basketball Family”. This very special group of basketball parents gave her years of joy, game after game, season after season as they traveled from state to state cheering their children on. Some of her dearest friends were Mildred Skinner, Linda Brown, Gloria Adams, Lisa Mitchell, and Mr. & Mrs. Manns, and so many more.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

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